Author Archives: admin

Letter to the board

A letter sent to the WPSD board recently by a community member:

Dear BOE Directors:

I cannot express the anger and disappointment that I am feeling as a result of the announcement regarding the middle school last Friday. After the turmoil over the past two years, and recent election in which the results were very close, I had hoped that the incumbent directors would be a little more willing to solicit input from, and to listen to, staff, parents, and students. Clearly that was wishful thinking.

Over 30 years ago, the taxpayers of this community approved a bond issue to build a new school so that 6-8 grades would have their own space away from high school students. For 29 years, the Woodland Park Middle School was that space, and then a new school board was elected. The middle school has been a place for 6-8 graders to transition from elementary school and get ready for high school. The middle school grades are unique because of the massive changes that kids go through at this age; they aren’t little kids anymore, and they aren’t teens and young adults. The middle school is a place for these kids to not only learn academics, but to experience greater choice of electives than elementary and start to develop their own interests, to join sports’ teams, academic teams, and Forensics, and to have a safe place in which to grow that belongs to them.

Starting last year, the middle school students started to lose their space. The middle school was being, “under utilized.” There weren’t 30 kids in every classroom. When Merit Academy was given half of the middle school building, the middle school students lost a large part of their space. The middle school staff went on educating middle school students and working to make sure that all students were welcomed into the safe space of the middle school. Then the decision came, despite parental and staff input to the contrary, to move 6th grade out of the middle school that was built, in part, for them. It was stated that the middle school was over-crowded (funny, since a year prior it was, “almost empty”). Parents, staff, community, etc. were told that it was so much better for the 6th grade to be in the elementary schools away from the older middle school students. A BOE director gushed over the, “opportunities,” that Superintendent Witt had created for the 6th grade students at the elementaries. Did you ever consider the opportunities that were stripped from them? In the middle school, 6th grade band students have band five days a week. Art, P.E., Consumer and Family Studies, Choir, STEM classes meet five days a week. They have all academic classes five days a week. In the elementary, they are lucky to have electives two or maybe three days a week. Thanks to the middle school band teacher now having to travel three days a week, 6th grade students get one day of band weekly, which will have a negative impact on the future of the WPSD band program. In the elementary school, science and social studies are not taught every day. 6th grade students no longer are able to join the Forensics team like they have for years, and just when 6th grade students were being added to all middle school sports teams, they get moved out and lose the opportunity.

Now the 7th and 8th graders are losing their entire building. If it wasn’t good for 6th graders to be with the older 7th and 8th graders, how is it good for the 7th and 8th graders to be with juniors and seniors? What considerations have been made regarding this move? The middle school PE program just received equipment to upgrade their fitness room. Where will that new equipment go in the high school building so that the 7th and 8th grade students will be able to utilize it? Will the middle school students really have their own safe space in the high school? Will they still have their beloved teachers and administrators? What about classroom space and storage space? Is there really adequate space in the high school? The high school building has numerous problems due to its age. Will all available space be safe for students? And what about sports programs? At this time, there are 7-8 basketball teams, and depending on numbers, could be as many as 9, practicing and playing games. Middle school practices daily in the middle school gym (with new bleachers that have WP). They play games on Mondays and Wednesdays. High school teams practice in both the North gym and main gym and play games usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays in both gyms. The high school boys and girls, as they have done for decades, already alternate early and late practices. Can you explain how this will work when middle school teams are added in the mix? How are up to 9 teams going to practice and play games in two gyms?! The same goes for the fall with volleyball. The cheer team has to practice after volleyball practices, and in between basketball early and late practices. Baseball has started their preseason practices, and the cheer team now has to shorten their time because the baseball team needs the space. During track season, middle school practices on the middle school track. Will they still be using the middle school track when they are housed in the high school? If so, will the district be bussing them each afternoon to the middle school? What kind of costs will be incurred in order to provide for middle school and high school teams.? Can you explain how this is even fair to WPMS and WPHS students and athletes? Can you explain how it’s ok for Merit to have 10 kids in a class, but when the middle school only had 25 kids in classes, it wasn’t enough?

For the past two plus years, it has appeared that, although the BOE is the board of WPSD, it has done everything in its power to benefit Merit Academy at the expense of WPSD schools, particularly WPMS. Now, please understand that I am all for school choice; I’m in support of having a charter school. But I am not in support of how the BOE has worked to destroy WPMS. Most charter schools are not given a building that is already in use, and then push out the students that are using that building. What has been done is wrong. It is decisions like this, without thought, without staff, parent, student, and community input or support, that continue to create strife. It is also decisions like this that continue to put Merit Academy at odds with WPSD parents, students, and staff; not because of Merit, but because of the actions of the WPSD BOE.

With sadness,

Laurie Gutierrez
Community member, taxpayer, former WPSD student, former WPSD staff member

WP cuts middle school after school academic assistance program

The Woodland Park school board found the money to give superintendent Ken Witt a $15k raise (plus 5% annual raise and up to 15% bonus), and found $328,000 extra to give to their pet project, Merit Academy, but followed up by CUTTING an after school academic assistance program at the middle school. As is typical for the Woodland Park school district, details are scarce…we’ll post an update as we learn more.

UPDATE – another email was sent out as a followup with new information. CORA request has been submitted to see if there’s any paper trail that would shed some light on this. The new email said:

Hello WPMS Families–

Earlier today I sent out a notification concerning the status of our Afterschool Academic Assistance program.  Unfortunately that email went out prematurely, and I did not have all the relevant information.  I apologize for any confusion, distress, or inconvenience that caused.

We are NOT cancelling our Afterschool Academic Assistance offering.  We will continue to offer this to students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:20pm to 4:20pm.  In the event we need to cancel a particular day due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, we will communicate that on the day of as needed.

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience this caused our community.

Thank you,

Bill Phalen

The original email:

Dissenting opinion on school board decision | Guest column

A guest column in the Courier, written by our newest school board member Keegan Barkley:

It is 4 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 and I am wide awake. My conscience allowed me to fall asleep easily but my frustration woke me early. Superintendent Ken Witt’s contract was extended last night by a 3-2 vote in what, in my opinion, was a confusing and disorganized special board meeting. I feel it is my duty to the community to explain my dissenting vote. 

Nothing about this contract renewal followed best practices or ensured it was in the best interest of district families, teachers, and taxpayers. As a specialist in talent acquisition, I work with employee contracts daily. Contract renewals are negotiations that include honest conversations with the hiring manager, finance department, and human resources. Contract renewals require objective performance reviews. Contract renewals usually consider feedback from someone’s peers and subordinates. None of that happened last night.

In fact, the opposite happened. Because of the way the agenda was written, we were not legally allowed to negotiate Mr. Witt’s proposed contract while in executive session. We were not legally allowed to discuss the performance of the employee or the petition against the renewal signed by over 300 parents and community members, and we were not legally allowed to propose any changes to the contract. Our only options were to postpone the vote or to vote that evening.

Despite the fact we, as a Board, had only minutes ago received the contract, and the current contract is not up until June 3, board members chose to legally bind our school district and all the taxpayers who support it, to a 2-year contract extension. A contract with guaranteed salary increases each year when we do not offer the same to our teachers. 

We had the opportunity to start mending the cracks that have formed in our community – to do our due diligence in examining what our district needs to move forward successfully. To show the community who elected us that we can rise above our differences by undertaking a robust, objective examination of our superintendent’s contract and performance. Instead, another contract was rubber stamped with no consideration for the ramifications on the families who depend on us to think critically, not politically. 

This approach is irresponsible. It is not fiscally conservative or transparent, and it is not in the best interest of this district or our community. 

Board policy states the board shall:

1. Represent and govern the district by determining and verifying district/superintendent performance.

2. Ensure input from students, staff, parents and other citizens as a means to link to the entire community.

3. Develop and modify as needed written governing policies.

4. Ensure superintendent performance through monitoring District Purpose Statement and executive expectations policies.

5. Ensure board performance through monitoring governance process and board/superintendent staff relationship policies.

I will adhere to my duties, and I thank the other board member willing to put in the effort last night.

Keegan Barkley

Middle School (7/8 grades) being moved to High School building

About a year ago, the district made a surprise announcement that sixth grade was being moved out of the middle school building and into the three elementary schools. A teacher walkout and public protest followed, though it didn’t change the ultimate move. Today, the district announced that 7th and 8th grades would be moved out of the Middle School building to the High School, thereby giving the entire Middle School building to the charter school, Merit Academy.

This should come as a surprise to no one. Last August, the board modified their agreement with Merit to give that charter school as much of the middle school building as they said they needed…so the writing was on the wall. Still, like most board decisions, there has been no discussion with the community about any of this and no discussion in any public board meeting.

Naturally, no further details have been offered, no estimated costs have been shared. Taxpayers approved a bond issue in the early 90’s to build the Middle School building for use a middle school; starting this July it’ll be in the possession of a private non-profit corporation running a charter school.

Here’s the email parents received:

Dear WPSD Families, 

We want to provide an important update about facilities planning that will affect WPMS and WPHS.

We are currently discussing how to improve the efficiency of our building usage, specifically the utilization of the middle school and high school. In line with our commitment to providing the best facilities for our students, district administration and WPMS and WPHS leadership are planning a facilities merge, integrating WPMS 7th and 8th graders into WPHS, effective for the 2024-25 school year. No changes will occur during this current semester.

We understand the significance of such decisions and assure you the process is being approached carefully for our students’ educational experience and safety. All finalized decisions will be communicated through official channels, and we remain committed to transparency throughout this planning process.

If you have specific concerns or questions, please contact Aaron Salt, COO, at asalt@wpsdk12.org. 

The district surveyed parents in November of 2022 about the topic of building utilization…here’s the results of the relevant question:

Ken Witt gets raise, bonus in new contract with WPSD

On 1/17, the Woodland Park school board voted to approve a new contract for superintendent Ken Witt. Thanks to the Colorado Open Records Act, we were able to obtain a copy to see the details of this contract for ourselves. It appears pretty similar to his current contract, with the biggest changes being an increase in salary from $155k to $170k, a guaranteed minimum 5% raise per year (which is 5% more than teachers are guaranteed), and up to 15% annual bonus. Duration of this new contract is two years.

You can read the new contract here; for comparison, check out his old contract here.

WPSD social studies curriculum in First Grade

What does Woodland Park school district, the only district in the nation to have adopted the American Birthright standards for social studies, teach first graders about national holidays? Linked below are images of the handout talking about “National Patriotic Holidays”. Let’s talk about what students are being taught about these holidays…the WPSD definition, and the one from Wikipedia:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

WPSD: “Martin Luther King Jr. believed all people should have the same rights. He worked hard to make this happen. He taught us to show respect for all people.”

Wikipedia: “King was chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law and civil society. The movement lead to several groundbreaking legislative reforms in the United States.”

Juneteenth

WPSD: “Juneteenth is the country’s newest holiday. It is known as Freedom Day. We celebrate freedom on Juneteenth.”

Wikipedia: “Juneteenth…is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the end of slavery.”

What I believe is noteworthy here is how slavery and civil rights, the core tenets of those holidays, are being portrayed by our district. These are not difficult concepts to teach to a first grader…but our school district chooses a whitewashed version of history instead.

There’s also then the issue of Labor Day, omitting the significant impact unions had on labor in this country and that this holiday was proposed by them.

WPSD: “Workers have made our country strong. We celebrate them on Labor Day.”

Wikipedia: “Labor Day is…to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.”

As for Thanksgiving, first graders are not being taught how some of those first Thanksgiving celebrations were in thanks for the assistance Native Americans provided to those early settlers.

Studies Weekly, the company that published this teaching material, has come under fire in the past for racial or ethnic bias. As this article in Discourse Blog put it, “Whitewashed history is just what conservative parents and right-wing activists want.”

Here is the teaching material given to first grade students recently:

WPSD board votes to renew Ken Witt’s contract

In the 1/17/2024 board meeting, which you can watch below, the Woodland Park school board voted to renew Ken Witt’s contract as superintendent. The board did not disclose the duration of the new contract, nor did they describe what changes were made to the contract (a CORA request is pending to obtain that information). Nor did the board discuss Ken Witt’s job performance or even whether he’d be a good choice for superintendent.

1/17/24 Letters to the Editor

From the 1/17/2024 Courier:

The election IS over but the circus continues

As seen at the January 10 school board meeting, nothing has changed. During that meeting, public commenters pleaded with the board for transparency and responsive communication with ALL stakeholders. The board discussed the superintendent contract and the revised budget that didn’t include the loss of 104 students with potential for a continuing decline in enrollment.

When discussing the superintendent contract, the audience grew frustrated. Bates, Kimbrell, Patterson, and Rusterholtz spoke to the contract, with Witt’s potential requests as the focus of discussion. They said a search would cost $11,000. However, Keegan Barkley volunteered to do a passive search at no cost to the district.

During Keegan‘s remarks, I was alarmed that on numerous occasions she was left out of board correspondence, hearing things for the first time like an audience member. Keegan’s contributions were thoughtful and professional, while the rest of the board looked confused and befuddled, even by rudimentary procedural rules.

With funding reliant on enrollment numbers, you’d think more time would be spent on why we lost 104 students. Instead, it was glossed over, no transparency or communications. If the school board has made positive change, why is staff turnover continuing? Why are we losing students? Why are stakeholders asking for transparency and communication even after Bates and Kimbrell promised it? The election is over, but no meaningful change in board operation happened. The majority of the community are still dissatisfied and will not be silenced. The election is over, but the circus is not.

Bridget Curran, Florissant

Yes, the election is over but the WPSB dysfunction is not

At the December 13, 2023 school board meeting out-going President David Rusterholtz said he hoped the Board would improve communication and transparency. On December 15, 2023 Superintendent Witt fired WPHS Principal Kevin Burr. Witt notified Board members except for David Rusterholtz and new member Keegan Barkley. Instead they learned of the firing when the email was sent to the public.

At the January 10, 2023 WPSB meeting a constituent asked about the representative vacancy for the January BOCES meeting. President Mick Bates replied to this public comment saying “I spoke with the Board members” and it was decided Cassie Kimbrell would be the new representative. Keegan Barkley then reported she had never been contacted. Mr. Bates replied, “You’re a hard lady to get ahold of”. Really? During the campaign Keegan answered messages quickly and efficiently. Once again she was excluded.

Also during this Board meeting approval was required for the minutes and the list of employees joining or leaving the District. Keegan Barkley received information that an employee was fired but listed as resigned. Superintendent Ken Witt then stated he couldn’t give details but that person’s status changed from fired to resigned “after a settlement”. What? Is our school district doing settlements to avoid more lawsuits?

I’m sorry Mr. Logan but you are going to continue to get news items about this dysfunctional Superintendent and Board because over forty-nine percent of voters in this county need to be informed of Board actions as they work to dismantle our public schools.

Gail Gerig, Woodland Park

Technical Difficulties

It’s been a frustrating week but…I think this website is working again! It was down for a few days last week; recovery from backup proved possible but did take longer than I’d like. The cause is not clear, some database issues on the web host side but why that happened, I don’t know. The timing wasn’t great, either, as we had a board meeting last week! They’ll be meeting again this Wednesday to (presumably) extend Ken Witt’s superintendent contract yet again. So stay tuned for that.

Letters to the Editor – 12/27/2023

From the 12/27/23 Courier:

Against American Birthright Standard

After listening to a recent televised interview with WPSD board member Mick Bates promoting the American Birthright Standards, I can see why the Colorado State Board of Education has rejected that manifesto.

While promoting the ABS, Bates said; “We’re going to look at the true history of this country.” Continuing he said, “One simple example is, yes, we had slavery, but we were the first to get rid of it. It’s a long story but it’s a good story. It’s a positive story because we ended slavery and I want our children to get the real history and education about America, this great country.”

Yes, we are a great Country, but the United States was far from being the “first” to end slavery. In fact, we were one of the last. And it took the deaths of 620,000 soldiers to abolish it. Enslavement ended here only with pro-slavery forces going down kicking and screaming the whole way.

As a former student of WPHS over 55 years ago, I can only hope that our children are not indoctrinated by what I feel is a John Birch type of system that is promoted by some who subscribe to a fairy-tale time where White Anglo-Saxon Protestants were the dominant force in America. That faction, in my opinion, has one thing in mind, take America back to 1950, where some are kept in the back of the bus and others in the closet. And those cantankerous females of today, back in the kitchen.

Steve Plutt, Lake George

Gaslighting the new normal?

In January’s school board meeting, Rusterholz spoke about transparency going forward, healing the divide. Already, however, named board roles, policies and money spent outside the county were decisions moved forward without Barkley or parents. A key school leader was fired without explanation. I’d like to know how Barkley was included in that decision made a full two weeks after she took her oath?

How is this transparent? Is Gaslighting the New Normal?

No incumbents stood up for parents or students during the campaign. Instead, calling students parents’ puppets, teachers the enemy, and candidates were mislabeled union puppets. Barkley was called a lame duck the day after she was elected.

None countered media that misrepresented challengers, all accepted Republican party money, aligning at public events despite boards being apolitical.

Illingworth harassed parents by name online, calling them liars with no evidence.

Before the election, Bates called a locked-out board crowd rabble-rousers instead of addressing the community of parents and teachers displaced by religious folks instructed to line up early. When I talked with strangers standing near me if they had children or grandchildren in the schools, the occasional Merit parent said yes. I asked others why they were there – “I was told to be here.”

Meanwhile, inside, religious people prayed from the microphone and scolded the heathens in the room, depriving actual parents their monthly 3-minute voice.

How is this transparent, humane, or anything but gaslighting? I remind this board that nearly 50% of citizens voted against this behavior.

Trina Hoefling, Florissant

Thank you to Kevin Burr

On December 15th, Woodland Park School District Central Office released Kevin Burr from his position as Principal of Woodland Park High School. In their announcement, no reason was given, nor was Kevin’s name even mentioned. As a parent of a junior at WPHS who has felt supported by Mr. Burr, I was left feeling very disoriented and disappointed. I would like to take an opportunity to thank Kevin for his accomplishments at WPHS since 2018. Some highlights include:

An increase in WPHS SAT scores every year for the last five years

Expanding our course offerings with a cybersecurity series and criminology series (supporting a law enforcement track)

Significant growth in college opportunities at WPHS. Kevin wrote a grant that allowed four of our teachers to get their Masters degrees so that they could teach college level courses at WPHS in math, science, english and social studies. He built partnerships with UCCS and Pikes Peak State College which allow for concurrent enrollment opportunities

Increasing career opportunities where students are graduating with industry certificates in culinary arts, welding, graphic design, and computer science

Keeping students in school and accountable through the COVID 19 pandemic

US News and World Report recognizing WPHS as one of the Best High Schools in Colorado in 2022/23

WPHS receiving a Level 1 Certification from Marzano High Reliability Schools for a Safe, Supportive and Collaborative culture

Thank you, Kevin, for supporting academics and also our athletics and arts programs. Thank you for making WPHS stronger.

Khurshid Rogers, Woodland Park